Vendor Manager (Hybrid)

At Lakeshore, the products we bring to classrooms and homes start with the supplier relationships and sourcing decisions behind them. As a Vendor Manager on our Global Sourcing team, you’ll take ownership of complex, cross-functional sourcing projects—coordinating across Merchandising, Supply Chain, Quality and international partners to keep our vendor network running smoothly and our product pipeline on track. If you’re someone who thrives on solving layered supply chain problems independently and building partnerships that hold up under pressure, this role is built for you. A day on the job looks like this: • Leading complex, cross-functional sourcing projects end-to-end—from planning and stakeholder alignment through execution and follow-up—ensuring deliverables land on time and support broader business priorities • Serving as the primary point of contact for assigned domestic and import vendors, managing day-to-day communication, performance follow-up and escalation resolution across Import Merchandising, Domestic Merchandising and Domestic OEM categories • Driving resolution of supplier issues—including quality concerns, lead-time challenges, backorders, packaging changes, compliance requirements and cost negotiations—bringing clear recommendations and follow-through to every escalation • Evaluating retail and commercial business needs to support annual pricing strategies, co-op negotiations and vendor cost reviews, balancing competing priorities to protect both the customer experience and business continuity • Contributing to high-impact sourcing initiatives such as ERP implementation, distribution center projects, vendor manual updates and process improvements—applying your sourcing expertise to shape better tools and workflows • Partnering with global and domestic suppliers as well as internal teams across six or more functions, translating complex information into clear, actionable direction for diverse audiences Got the skills and experience? Here’s what we’re looking for: Required: • 6+ years of experience in sourcing, procurement or supply chain, with demonstrated ownership of supplier relationships and negotiations in domestic and/or international environments • Proven ability to lead cross-functional projects independently—managing scope, timelines, stakeholder coordination and issue resolution without close supervision • Strong analytical skills with hands-on experience evaluating supplier costs, pricing strategies, margins and operational data to inform business decisions • Working knowledge of supply chain operations, including inventory management, lead times, product life cycle changes, compliance requirements and import/export sourcing practices • Proficiency with ERP systems and Microsoft Excel; comfortable working across business reporting tools to build and present data-driven insights Preferred: • Experience with SAP, Power BI or Tableau in a sourcing or supply chain context • Familiarity with RFQ/RFP administration, supplier onboarding or contract management processes • Exposure to working with China-based or other Asia-Pacific suppliers and multicultural business partners • Background in consumer products, educational materials or retail sourcing environments What Sets You Apart • You don’t wait to be asked—you spot a process gap or a supplier risk early and move to address it before it becomes someone else’s fire drill • You can hold a productive conversation with a factory in Asia and a merchant in Carson in the same afternoon, adjusting your approach for each audience without losing the thread • When a problem has no clean answer, you map it from multiple angles, make a call and communicate it clearly—you’re not paralyzed by ambiguity • You treat cross-functional partners as colla